I'm a huge fan of Building Science teacher Joe Lstiburek and I'm finally building my first house with his "Perfect Wall" concept. Join me as I explain this theory for extreme durability and efficiency (and show off a house I'm building in Austin).

We've all been in this situation... two identical looking products on the shelf, but different prices. Which should I choose? Well, when it comes to housewraps not all are alike, nor will they perform the same. Have a look at this test that will give you an idea how these two white rolls will perform on YOUR house.

There are 4 things every house must control (in order of importance). 1. Water 2. Air 3. Vapor 4. Thermal Codes have only started to address air control and I think many builders in the US are behind in this area.

As a builder in the hot and humid South, I regularly use spray foam in my houses. Spray foam makes it much easier to encapsulate my attic (where most HVAC systems in Texas live) so that my ducts are inside the thermal envelope.

OSB vs Plywood Sheathing is a question that comes up often in my Custom Builders Group. In this video I'll explain why I use both, and share some secret methods to building a house that will last for generations.

It's not unusual for a house to get wet during construction before it's "dried in". In this post I'll share some techniques I've used to dry my houses prior to sheetrock. This is a follow up to my last post about using a Moisture Meter.

Rain during framing is hard to avoid, so how do you know the house is dry enough to move ahead with construction? We've all experienced "settlement" cracks in new houses. While cracks and gaps may not be completely avoidable, checking your framing with a moisture meter will te you if the house is "dry" and ready for insulation and drywall.

Insulation advertisements would lead you to believe there products are perfect for every situation. In fact a hybrid approach is more likely to yield the high performance home I'm after. See this video to see how I used three types of insulation on this new Advanced Framed House I'm building in Austin Texas. -Matt Risinger

Flashing a recessed window is tricky, this new product from DuPont Tyvek called Fluid Applied (Liquid Tyvek!) makes the process much simpler. In this jobsite video we will take you through the steps to form a water tight, air tight, and vapor permeable window install.

Builders have been slow to adopt 24" OC 2x6 optimum value framing due to concerns about the strength of the structure. We have adopted several framing techniques that work with OVE to improve storm survivability while also maintaining good energy efficiency and stiffness.

No one will notice if you frame your houses with straight walls, but your clients will definitely notice if they are wavy. This LSL stud makes a super straight wall for your kitchens, baths, and tall walls. They are more expensive than pine or fir studs but there is no cull and you will eliminate surprises.